title: Mild carbon monoxide poisoning impairs left ventricular diastolic function.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is associated with direct cardiovascular toxicity. In mild CO poisoning in which cardiovascular life support is not required, the effects of CO on left and right ventricular functions are unknown in patients without cardiac failure.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Echocardiography was used to determine whether or not mild CO poisoning impairs ventricular function. Twenty otherwise healthy patients with CO poisoning and 20 age- and gender-matched controls were studied. Echocardiographic examinations were performed at the time of admission and 1 week after poisoning.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The impairment observed in the left and right ventricular diastolic function at the time of admission was greater than the impairment 1 week after poisoning. Mild CO poisoning did not have a significant effect on systolic function. Carboxyhemoglobin levels were positively correlated with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, whereas the levels were not correlated with right ventricular diastolic function.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In CO intoxication, the development of left and right ventricular diastolic dysfunction precedes systolic abnormality. Patients with mild CO poisoning do not manifest cardiovascular symptoms; however, it should be borne in mind that most of these patients have myocardial involvement.
authors.affiliation: Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozgür
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ciftçi
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Günday
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calışkan
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Güllü
authors.forename: Rafi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Doğan
authors.forename: Aytekin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Güven
authors.forename: Haldun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Müderrisoğlu
keywords: Carbon monoxide; elasticity imaging techniques; left ventricular function; right ventricular function; tissue Doppler